A number of Ukrainian and Afghan families living in Berkshire are to be given new homes.

West Berkshire Council will make 17 homes available over the next 18 months as it says there is increasing pressure on housing displaced people.

The authority said 30 families were currently living in hotels.

The new arrangement will see the council use a £2.5m government grant to buy a mix of flats and houses.

Several Afghan families resettled in the UK after the Taliban retook power in 2021 while thousands of Ukrainians fled to the UK in the past year following the Russian invasion.

Councillor Howard Woollaston, member for housing at the council, said thanks to the "generosity and compassion of local people" many Ukrainian and Afghan families have settled in the area.

"This project will mean we have more housing options for people settling here and will reduce our reliance on temporary or emergency accommodation," he said.

"Most importantly, it will mean 17 families will have a place to call home."

The government has allocated £500m to English councils facing the most significant housing pressures, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk.

• ·Loose Women's Denise Welch pays tribute to 'wonderful actress' Josephine Melville, 61, who played Tessa Parker in the 1980s after she died backstage at play
• ·Republicans SUBPOENA FBI Director over using 'federal criminal and counter-terrorism reconsequentlyurces' to target concerned parents at school board gatherings during the pandemic
• ·Unvaccinated World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is denied entry to US and formally withdraws from Indian Wells tournament - as American talk-demonstrate host Bill Maher calls his country 'stuck on stupid' over COVID rules
• ·BREAKING NEWS: Italo Galbiati - Fabio Capello's former assistant manager with England, Real Madrid, Roma and AC Milan dies aged 85 
• ·BREAKING NEWS: Sean Dyche IS the new Everton manager, with deal done for ex-Burnley boss to fight to save Toffees from relegation after Marcelo Bielsa said no... and with an announcement prepared today 
• ·Suspect held on suspicion of attempted murder after pensioner, 70, was set on fire as he left Birmingham mosque is arrested over similar assault in west London three weeks ago 
• ·PA man arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle 'bomb' onto plane
• ·Thousands of firefighters and control room staff are set to strike for the first time since 2003 in a bitter row over pay 
• ·Dozen classified documents are now found in Mike Pence's Indiana home - notwithstanding his REPEATED denials: Trump rushes to his VP's defense and says 'he's an innocent man, leave him alone!!!' 
• ·Police arrest three people as girl, four, is rushed to hospital after being mauled by a pack of dogs 
• ·De La Soul rapper David 'Trugoy the Dove' Jolicoeur dies aged 54 from 'natural ca utilizes' after battling an 'undisclosed illness'
• ·Dad will NEVER back down says Gary Lineker's consequentlyn: Pressure on Director-General grows as Match of the Day host digs in over Nazi tweet - amid fears 'strike in all but name' will spread to other sports and even news, leaving BBC 'on verge of Armageddon' 
• ·Black cab driver tells Just Speak Oil mob to 'get a job' as activists glue themselves to the road blocking busy junction in central London before police make 16 arrests 
• ·BREAKING NEWS: Jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is formally charged with spying by Russia - as he denies accusation and US designates him 'erroneousfully detained'
• ·'I'm tired of hiding': Actress who put Harvey Weinstein behind bars for another 16 years at his L.A. trial comes forward to describe how he raped her in Beverly Hills hotel room in 2013
• ·MO cop shot dead and another injured after shootout at Casey's store